1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ON-key indicators used in, e.g., apparatus or systems which allow the user to recognize the ON-key position or timing on a keyboard of a keyboard instrument, electronic musical instrument systems, ON-key indication methods, and storage media which computer-readably store processing steps to implement the methods.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, some of keyboard instruments such as acoustic pianos, digital pianos, and the like have an ON-key indication function for visually indicating information on keys to be depressed, information on fingers (fingerwork information), and the like for a player by turning on light-emitting diodes (to be referred to as xe2x80x9cLEDsxe2x80x9d hereinafter) arranged in accordance with the respective keys on a keyboard.
Since such a keyboard instrument can indicate keys to be depressed, fingerwork information, and the like for the player on the basis of performance information, the player can easily play in accordance with the ON states of the LEDs by the ON-key indication function.
However, although the aforementioned conventional ON-key indication function can visually indicate an ON-key position by turning on the corresponding LED, the player can hardly recognize the next ON-key timing and OFF-key timing after a given ON-key event, and cannot recognize the ON-key strength.
For example, the conventional ON-key indication function turns off an LED (corresponding to the current ON key) which was turned on previously, and turns on an LED corresponding to the next key to be depressed, thus making the player recognize the next key. Since the LEDs are turned off and on instantaneously, the player must instantaneously recognize the next key to be depressed in accordance with such an ON/OFF pattern. It is very difficult especially for a player who is not accustomed with a keyboard instrument to make such instantaneous recognition of keys and fingerwork accordingly, resulting in a clumsy performance.
Also, the conventional function does not allow the player to recognize the ON-key strength, resulting in a not only clumsy but also flat performance.
It is an object of the present invention to provide ON-key indicators which allow the player to easily make a desired performance since the player can visually and easily recognize the ON-key timing and strength, electronic musical instrument systems, ON-key indication methods, and storage media which computer-readably store processing steps to implement the methods.
According to the present invention, provided is an ON-key indicator for indicating at least an ON-key position and timing of a keyboard on the basis of input performance information, characterized by comprising a plurality of light-emitting elements which are provided for each key on the keyboard, and line up in a direction perpendicular to the pitch direction of the keyboard, and a controller for controlling ON and OFF operations of the plurality of light-emitting elements, and in that the controller shifts an ON position of the plurality of light-emitting elements in turn from the upper light-emitting element toward a key of interest.
More specifically, a plurality of light-emitting elements (LEDs or the like) are provided to each key on a keyboard. If xe2x80x9ctxe2x80x9d represents the ON-key timing of a given key, the plurality of light-emitting elements provided to that key begin to be turned on in turn from the uppermost light-emitting element farthest from the key toward the key at a timing (txe2x88x92n) going back an arbitrary time period n from that timing t. At the timing t, the light-emitting element closest to the key is turned on.
Therefore, when the plurality of light-emitting elements of a given key begin to be turned on, the player can recognize that the ON-key timing of that key is close, can recognize the ON-key timing of the key when the ON position shifts toward the key and reaches the position closest to the key, and can depress the key at that timing.